bullion

Meaning

Noun

• A bulk quantity of precious metal, usually gold or silver, assessed by weight and typically cast as ingots.
• Base or uncurrent coin.
• Showy metallic ornament, as of gold, silver, or copper, on bridles, saddles, etc.
• A heavy twisted fringe, made of fine gold or silver wire and used for epaulets; also, any heavy twisted fringe whose cords are prominent.

Origin

• From Middle English bulloin, bullioun, from Anglo-Norman bullion, of obscure origin, perhaps from French bouillon, extending the sense to that of 'melting'. Middle Dutch boelioen ("base metal") seems to have come from the unrelated .